When is the last time you tested your well for bacteria?
Testing
Municipal supplies test their water for harmful bacteria regularly. Some municipalities will test several times in one day from one source or another. Customers pay for these tests when they pay their water bills, as part of the service.
Private well owners do not have the luxury of having someone else routinely monitor their water for bacteria, and that is the main reason we install a lot of UV light disinfection for private well water. You cannot smell or taste harmful bacteria like Legionella or E. coli, so the only way to know if they are present is by testing for them.
Bacteria
There can be many different types of bacteria present in water. Some cause aesthetic problems like an oily sheen on the surface of bath water, or red staining in toilets and sinks. Some can be very harmful and pose a serious health risk — a search for Legionella will turn up numerous accounts of people becoming seriously ill, and even dying, from Legionnaires’ disease.
The most common harmful bacteria we find in water in the Reno and Sparks area is E. coli. Private wells in areas near surface water like the Truckee River or Washoe Lake are especially prone to contamination. Areas in flood plains, like the North Valleys or Minden, also fail bacteria testing often.
Bacteria can be tested through a few local labs, and sample collection is a service we offer. The labs test for coliform bacteria first. Coliform is the category of bacterium that includes E. coli and other bacteria indicating fecal contamination in the water. If coliform is present, the lab will then test for E. coli, which can cause serious digestive illness and, in severe cases, death.
The Solution
Fortunately, treatment for bacteria is simple and user friendly.
- Chemical free: Our UV Protector uses ultraviolet light to disinfect water as it passes through and into your home, without chlorine injection or residual chemical in your water.
- Efficient: The UV Protector requires no backwash and uses a low voltage power supply.
- User friendly: It only needs upkeep annually. The unit comes with a digital display indicating how many days until service is due, plus an audible alarm in case of failure or malfunction.
The unit is affordable and easy to add to an existing water system. Learn more about UV disinfection or get a quote.